Key-fastener.



J. P. DAVIS & J. W. SAMSON.

KEY FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- 5; I916. 1,178,138.

Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

8 1 1 w 5 PF WITNESSES:

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(7% P I%VENT ORS ATTORNEYS THE COLUMBIA PLANOQRAPH C0 WASHINGTON D- w FFliE.

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JOHN P. DAVIS AND OI-IN W. SAMSON, 0F UTICA, NEW YORK.

KEY-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1, 1916.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that we, JoHN P. DAVIS and JOHN W. SAMSON, of Utica, in the county of Oneida and State ofNew York, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Key-Fasteners; and we do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Our present invention relates to key fas-' teners or devicesadapted to retain a key in a door lock so that the key will not be lost out of the door and so that the key cannot e turned in the lock or removed therefrom. The purpose of our invention is to provide an improved key fastener and one which is simple and economical inconstruction.

A further purpose is to provide an article of the character described which is so simple and eflicient in operation that it may be readily used withoutdifficulty and so will be used with regularity.

Another purpose of our invention is to provide a key fastener of such simple construction that the cost of making and attaching the same to the-door will not appreciably increase the cost of the lock, and at the same time will not detract from the appearance of the door or interfere with the regular operation of the lock or the door knob.

A still furtherobject is to provide a device of the character described of such construction that only a single extra part is used; and that part is so constructed that it may be quickly attached to the door without requiring the use of extra fastening means such as screws, nails orextra clips often heretofore required.

- Yet another purpose of our invention is to provide a key fastener of such construction that a single form or size of fastener may be applied readily to a great variety of doors or locks.

Figure 1 is an isometric projection of the lock-containing portion of a door equipped with a key fastener embodying our invention in operative position. Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the fastener in inoperative position. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in a more paras plainly shown in the ticular description there is shown a portion of a door 5 in which is mounted a lock 6 with the usual door plate 7 from which door plate there projects the shank 8 carrying the door knob 9 operating the latch 10; The bolt 11 of the lock is operated in the usual way by key 12 shown as projecting from the key hole 13 in the door plate 7. The shank of the key terminates in the usual handle 14L with the usual hole 15 through said handle.

The fastener 16 preferably constructed in the form of a loop and also preferably con-- structed of resilient material has its inner end hingedly mounted upon the door about on a horizontal level with the shank of the key or closely therebelow. Preferably the fastener 16 is so hinged at its inner end by having the two inner ends 17 of the loopshaped member inturned toward each other mounted in recesses 18 extending into the opposite sides of the door plate 7 in a horizontal direction from the rear face of the door plate. These recesses may be formed inthe door plate when it is manufactured or may be readily made with a file when the lock is being placed upon the door. It will be obvious that by placing the fastener 16 in proper position relative to the door plate 7 beforethe plate'is secured to the door, the fastening of the plate to the door by the usual means will secure the fastener in position.

The two sections of the body part of the fastener 16 extend toward thecenter of the door plate and assuming the fastener to be in operative position said sections extend out to a point immediately below the opening- 15 in the handle of the key. At this point the outer end 19 of the fastener extends substantially at right angles to the horizontally extending sections of the main part of the fastener and in an upward direction assuming the fastener to be in opera tive position. This upturned end 19 of the fastener is preferably constructed as shown as the outer partof a loop and preferably is resilient in construction and materiah As the fastener 16 is swung upward from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1 the upturned end 19 enters the opening 15 in the handle 14 of the key. In entering the opening the loop of the fastener and its upturned end are slightly compressed so that after the upturned end has entered said opening there will be spring drawings and tension in the fastener sufiicient to hold, the fastener in operative position and in engagement with the key against the weight of the fastener and against any jarring of the door or manipulation of the key. As long as the fastener is in engagement with the key it will be obvious that the key cannot accidentally or purposely from either side of the door be turned in the lock because the upstanding end 19 of the fastener will remain in perpendicular position and so look the key from rotation. As long as the key is thus locked from rotation it will likewise be obvious that it cannot be pushed or pulled from the lock, it being assumed of course that the interior part of the key is parallel with the handle of the key.

When it is desired to manipulate the key the upwardly extending outer end 19 is readily disengaged from the key by pressing down on the upper part of said upstanding end. This may be readily done with one hand and will be most naturally done by the thumb being placed over the key and pressed down upon the upper part of the said upstanding end 19. A little downward pressure overcomes the spring tensioned engagement of the fastener with the key and thereupon the fastener is swung down into lnoperative position or far enough down from the key so that at Wlll not be in the Way of manipulating the key T in the usual way. It will be noted that the 7 ing the door and fastener may be used to lock the key from rotation either when the door is locked or unlocked.

It willnow be seen that one of the advantages of our key fastener is its extreme simplicity in construction, attachment to the door and operation upon the door. Its method of attachment admits of its being quickly attached to the door without defacadrnits of its being entirely removed therefrom without leaving any apparent trace of its having been there, as the recesses 18 at the sides of the door plate are unnoticeable.

We prefer to have the angularly arranged outer end 19 extend upward and engage the key from below as shown in the drawings,

but it will be obvious that the fastener will 7 for most purposes operate in reversed position, namely coming down against the key and having the end 19 extend downward through the opening in the handle of the key and such construction is understood to be within certain of the claims hereinafter set forth. outer end 19 being our preferred construction is that such construction brings the loop of said end 19 above the key where it cannot be reached by a person reaching in through the keyhole. As one of the advantages of such a device is its protection against burglars,'it will b'eseen that it is an advantage to so construct the fastener that no part of it can'be reached by a file or other instrument inserted from the other side of the look through the keyhole.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A key fastenerconsisting of a resilient looped member having its inner ends turned toward each other and hingedly mounted in recesses provided in the sides of the door plate, said member being adapted to swing out from the doorand having its outer'end bent at an angle to the body of said member and adapted to enter the opening in the handle of the key and prevent the key from being turnedin the-door or removed therefrom.

The reason for the upstanding 2. A key fastener consisting ofa'resilient A looped member having its inner ends turned toward each other and hingedly mounted in recesses provided in the sides of the door plate, saidmember being adapted to swing out from thedoor and having its outer end bent at an angle to the body of said member and adapted to yieldand enter the opening in the handle of the key andprevent the key from being turned in the door or removed therefrom."

In witness whereof we have afiixed our Copiesot this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

